Misfits: Unlikely Heroes
by Ami Ven
Summary: Sorry, everyone, but this story has been canceled. I appologize profusely and I might write this if I get any better ideas. Read my other things, please! -Lira
1. Prologue

Prologue

Venget ha Minch, training master of the Tortallan court, was a man who didn't shock easily. He had fought in the Immortals War, and in many other skirmishes since. He was hardened by his experiences and had thought that nothing could surprise him. King Jonathan IV, ruler of Tortall, had unfortunately just proved him wrong. "Could you repeat that, Your Majesty?"

The king nodded and glanced back down at the letter he held. "Lord Darron of Clearwell has written to say that his youngest daughter wishes to become a page." He looked back up. "She is of age."

"Are you sure that's wise, sire?"

Jonathan nodded. "The Clearwells are an old family. They are not as well-known as the Naxon or Queenscove, but they have served faithfully for hundreds of years."

"There was a Clearwell a few years behind us, Jon." This came from the prime minister, Gareth the Younger of Naxen. "He has two daughters. Darron is his younger brother and he has four daughters. It's the youngest that wants to be a page."

Ha Minch nodded. "She wants to bring honor to the family name, no doubt." He looked between the two other men. "I know that the idea of female pages isn't as unthinkable as it used to be, sire, but are you sure that she is suited to be a page? Is she a girl with smooth hands who's never done an ounce of work? A page's life is not easy. Alanna the Lioness and Keladry of Mindelan have done very well as knights, but it's not for everyone."

"Your concerns are just, Venget," said the king thoughtfully, "but I think that the Clearwell girl deserves acknowledgement. Don't you agree, Gary?"

The prime minister nodded. "That sounds fair, Jon. Venget, talk to the girl. If you think she has what it takes, we'll accept her."

"I think that is a wise course of action," said ha Minch. "By your leave, sire."

Jonathan waved a hand. "Dismissed." The training master left. "Gary, write a letter to Clearwell, telling Darron to send his daughter a week earlier than the other pages. We'll need to have things ready before the boys arrive."


	2. A Girl Called Thom

A Note from the Author: My research shows that the training master is Padraig haMinch, not Venget. So sorry.

Lira-chan

A Girl Called Thom

It was an unusually warm day in the north of Tortall. The rainy weather of the past month had given way to sunshine and people were taking advantage by spending time out of doors. The red-haired figure steadily climbing a huge oak tree was no exception. No one looking at Thomenalina of Clearwell would have guessed she was a girl. Her flaming hair was cut short and her companions- half a dozen boys from Clearwell's village- offered her the same rowdy treatment they gave each other.

Thom reached for the next branch and tested it. It bent slightly but did not even creak. The girl smiled; she was small for her age and could climb higher than any of the boys. "Clearwell!" called a voice. Thom looked down to see Jack, the oldest of their group, waving at her.

"What?" she called back. "Are you lads getting tired already?"

"No," he replied, "but your sisters are looking for you at the edge of the trees."

Thom suppressed a moan. She had three sisters, all two years apart, who were the girliest girls she had ever known. Grace, Emmani and Jilmara loved clothes and sewing- two things that Thom found tedious- and they always talked in polite, ladylike voices. Thom dressed as a boy and talked politely only when she had to. She quickly climbed down from her perch and dropped to the ground.

From nearby, she heard a feminine shriek, "Thom!" It was her oldest and most ladylike sister, Grace. "I told you not to sneak up on me like that!"

"I made lots of noise," the younger girl protested. "Anyone would have heard me coming."

"Thomenalina," said Grace, exasperated as usual with her little sister, "Papa is looking for you. He's waiting in the study."

"Hurry up!" called Thom's second-oldest sister, Emmani. "Papa said that it was important."

"What is it?" Thom asked, looking between them. "Is everything all right?"

"He didn't say," put in their last sister, Jilmara. She was closest in age to Thom and was the sweetest of the sisters.

Thom nodded and headed up the worn path to Clearwell manor. It wasn't as large as her uncle's holdings. He was the head of fief Clearwell. Her father, as the younger son, got a smaller piece of the family's lands. Still, Thom loved the building. It was very old, with tall towers and many taller trees. Grace, Emmani and Jilmara returned to their sewing room as Thom climbed the stone steps to the top of the West Tower, where her father kept his study. She knocked loudly on the huge wooden door. "It's me, Papa!"

"Come in!" her father called. Thom entered, closing the door. Darron of Clearwell sat at his desk, an official-looking letter in his hand. "I need to talk with you, Thom."

"About what, Papa?" The girl sat across the desk from him.

Her father brandished the letter. "This came before the noon meal. It's from Sir Gareth the Younger. Do you know who he is?"

Thom's trick memory instantly recalled the name. "Yes, Papa. He's prime minister."

"Yes. He and King Jonathan have agreed to let you begin page training-"

"They have?" Thom interrupted. "Oh, thank Mithros!"

"Wait a moment," her father warned. "Lord Padraig haMinch, the training master wants to speak with you first. He will decide if you can train."

"I'll do my best, Papa," the girl promised. "I'll make you proud of me."

Darron smiled at her. "You have always been different from your sisters, Thom. I don't think you would make a court lady."

This made Thom return the grin. "I don't think so, either."

"But I do think you have what it takes to be a knight. I never thought your uncle would make it, but he earned his shield." He smiled at her, then grew serious. "You will be the only girl in training, Thom. The boys will make it hard for you. Your uncle told stories of the things pages did to each other when they were all boys. Are you completely sure you want to do this?"

Thom nodded. "I am, Papa."

"Thom," said Darron cheerfully, "I'd like you to meet Sir Nealan of Queenscove. He's on his way to the palace and he's agreed to escort you there."

Sir Nealan was tall, with brown hair worn long and green eyes. He smiled brightly at the girl. "It's no trouble at all. I admit I'm curious to meet the next lady page."

Thom smiled at him; first impressions were important to her and she could tell that the knight was kind. "Thank you, Sir Nealan. It's up to Lord Padraig haMinch to decide if I can stay."

"Are you all ready then?" her father asked. He held the reigns of Sir Nealan's second horse, a mare with a white star on her forehead.

The girl nodded. She hugged her father tightly. "I'll miss you, Papa."

"You can write to me and your sisters," he replied. "You'll have to tell me about your training."

"I will." Thom turned to take the mare's reigns. She mounted, then looked back at her father. "Goodbye, Papa! I'll miss you!"

He waved until she and Sir Nealan crested the next hill. "Young Thomenalina," said the knight. He stopped when he saw the look on her face. "What's the matter?"

"My name is the matter, sir. Thomenalina. It makes me sound like some stuffy countess."

He laughed. "I think it suits you. You are a lady."

"But I want to be a page. The boys won't take me seriously with a girl's name. If I ask, will the training master call me Thom?"

"I don't know. My training master was Lord Wyldon of Coval. Padraig haMinch may be different." He smiled. "Lord Wyldon was a stump." Thom was silent. "Are you worried about training?"

"I don't know," the girl answered truthfully. "I want to be a page more than I've ever wanted anything."

Sir Nealan smiled at her. "That's just what Kel said."

"Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan? Do you know her?"

The knight laughed. "Sorry. You just sounded like Kel when she used to ask about the Lioness. To answer your question, yes. Kel was in the same year of training as me and she is my best friend. And before you ask, I do know the Lioness. Lady Alanna was my knight-mistress." He frowned at her. "I wonder if the king has forbidden the Lioness from coming to see you, too."

"Why would he do that, Sir Nealan?" Thom asked him.

"He doesn't want anyone to think that she'll use her magic to help you pass the tests. You don't have the Gift, do you, Thom?"

She shook her head. "No. My second sister, Emmani, does, but she's the only one."

They rode on in silence for most of the journey. When they had almost reached the city walls, Sir Nealan stopped his horse, Magewhisper, and turned to his companion. "You're only the third female page," he said carefully. "Some people won't like the fact that you're there. Did anyone tell you that?"

"My father said it might be difficult for me, my lord, but he didn't say anything specific."

"Some of the boys will hate you, just because you're a girl. They'll do things and say things to get you mad. They'll try their hardest to get you in trouble, but you can't let them. If you get in a fight and you get caught, you can't tell on the other fighters, even if they started it. You have to tell the training master that you fell down. That's all anybody ever says. Take any punishment they give you without complaint." He smiled. "I'll see if I can't get Kel to leave her camp long enough to stop by the palace. I'm sure you'd like to meet her."

"O, thank you, Sir Nealan. Would you really?"

"Sure." The knight urged his horse forward and gestured at the sprawling city of Corus. "There it is, Thom. That's the palace at the end of the main road. Are you still sure you want to do this?"

She looked at the city in awe, then grinned. "Absolutely."


End file.
